How do we apply ethics?

What are the principles and values that guide leaders? Is it the need to truly help the collective or is it personal gain? Ethics is vital to good leadership since it provides an accepted framework which can help determine whether the right choice for the collective is being taken. Each of us has a point of view with respect to what is right or wrong, but there are clear rules that help us operate in society and which should be followed if there is to be effective leadership.

When trust is lost among the stakeholders, the fabric of team work and vision is lost. The modus operandi becomes every man for himself, as greed becomes more important than the will to attend to the needs of the collective. A leader can lose integrity when faced with the temptation of abusing power and misusing public funds. This attitude of self-indulgence can quickly spread, killing any chances for progress. In this sense, corruption is a disease that deviates a lot of resources from achieving our vision and is symptomatic of bad leadership.

To reach the objectives set out, all the effort must go into making the vision a reality and not in following personal gains. Each of us has an obligation to ensure that ethical codes are followed, and understand the reasons for doing so. It is my belief that leaders have a lot more to gain from experiencing the success of the collective through achievement of the goals set out in the vision.